School Chooser

Pilsley Primary School

Primary · ages 3-11MixedCouncil213 pupilsNurseryChesterfieldDerbyshire
School Chooser Score
88
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 75 to 95, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 100% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, February 2024
Reached the expected level at 1187%England 63%
Attendance95.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families35%Far more than most schools
PlacesFull213 pupils, 206 places
Pupils per teacher17.9School workforce census

Pilsley Primary School is a council school in Chesterfield for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 213 pupils, 7 more than it has places for. About 35 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 89 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 100% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Station Road, Pilsley, Chesterfield, S45 8EU01773 872378pilsleyprimary.co.ukMrs Lynn Brook headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 14 February 2024 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

30 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1187%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level13%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score109.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score111.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 82%82%20172018: 80%80%20182019: 71%71%20192023: 82%82%20232024: 81%81%20242025: 87%87%2025
Since 2017: +5%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017DerbyshireEngland
Pupils tested301628342017
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths87%81%82%71%80%82%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths13%19%14%12%15%12%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score109.0112.0110.0104.0106.0106.0105.2105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score111.0109.0108.0107.0108.0110.0104.2104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score110.0112.0107.0108.0109.0108.0104.6105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard87%88%93%76%80%88%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard90%88%86%79%95%94%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)90%81%86%74%90%94%
Reading progressReading progress score+3.8-0.4+1.7+2.0
Maths progressMaths progress score+3.2+2.1+4.3+6.1
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged86%78%47%78%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged87%84%89%82%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 3 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
86%87%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
82%92%
Gap 10 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%13%
Gap 13 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

A few spare places192 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
91% full

About 18 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 4% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Derbyshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll213Census January 2026
Places206103% full
Pupils from low-income families33%35% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support20%42 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%10 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.77 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils14%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)37%£103,850 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls111 / 102
White British pupils94%

Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 10 pupils, for autism.

To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Derbyshire with autism provision.

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 20.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.3 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (15), Specific learning difficulty (11), emotional and mental health (10), Moderate learning difficulty (8), language and communications needs (5), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll213220210217230227
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals33%32%29%30%27%20%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%2%2%2%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support18%26%20%15%17%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%6%5%6%5%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school9.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils2.32024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.3%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.8%6.0%5.8%6.4%4.7%4.1%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.5%4.5%4.7%5.6%3.7%3.6%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.3%1.5%1.1%0.8%1.0%0.5%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence9.1%13.8%15.3%18.5%12.6%5.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate2.31.93.20.42.2
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers11.4full-time equivalent, 12 people
Pupils per teacher17.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants15.2full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£51,134
Teachers who left in the year15%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher7.22024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£8,100England £7,738. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£7,664England £7,697. Total £1.6m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,507England £3,480
Money in reserve-6%In the red: -£96k, -£459 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£92kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£8,100spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m9712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate57 per 1,000 people37% lower than the England average
Typical house price£242,875North East Derbyshire
Nearest bus stop100 mChurch Street, 10 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Park House Primary SchoolCouncil1.1 miles205Good 202354Compare
Tibshelf Infant SchoolCouncil1.3 miles140Good 202240Compare
Town End Junior SchoolCouncil1.4 miles187No overall grade 202540Compare
Morton Primary AcademyAcademy1.5 miles103Requires improvement 202264Compare
Sharley Park Community Primary SchoolCouncil1.7 miles411Good 202321Compare
Stonebroom Primary and Nursery SchoolAcademy1.9 miles211Good 201925Compare
Newton Primary SchoolCouncil2.1 miles148Good 202369Compare
Westhouses Primary SchoolCouncil2.4 miles83Good 202244Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Pilsley Primary School with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats100%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 89 is 66 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 23 · highest 88100

No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 89 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 89% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 75 to 95. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%above
+0.14
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 30 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.14
DfE progress measure; 30 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%above
+0.04
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
+0.03
2024/25; 175 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.27
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 30 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Pilsley Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Pilsley Primary School scores 89 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 100% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 75 to 95, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Pilsley Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Pilsley Primary School good at its last full inspection on 14 February 2024.

How good are Pilsley Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 87% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 13% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Pilsley Primary School have?

213 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 206 places, so it is 103% full.

Is Pilsley Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 18 places were empty in 2024/25 (9% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Pilsley Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Pilsley Primary School?

The average class had 25.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 14% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Pilsley Primary School have specialist SEND provision?

Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Station Road, Pilsley, Chesterfield, S45 8EU
Telephone
01773 872378
Website
www.pilsleyprimary.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Lynn Brook
Type of school
Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Local authority
Derbyshire
Ward
Pilsley & Morton
Constituency
Bolsover
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
112605 · LAESTAB 8302190 · UKPRN 10069310

Where these figures come from